Leofoo Village admits baboon escaped from park after weeks of denials

在數週否認後，六福村承認狒狒逃出園區

Taiwanese threaten boycott of park over bungled handling of baboon escape


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Leofoo Village Theme Park on Wednesday (March 29) admitted that a baboon that had been on the loose before being fatally shot was indeed from its park, sparking outrage by netizens as it had categorically denied the primate was from its park for weeks.

When the olive baboon was first spotted in Taoyuan's Pingzhen District on March 10, Leofoo Village denied that any of its baboons were missing from its facilities. For the next 16 days until the animal was shot by a hunter on March 27, the theme park continued to deny that the creature had escaped from its property.

Adding to the controversy were claims by the hunter surnamed Lin (林) that he had been authorized by a Leofoo Village employee to shoot the baboon when it rushed toward him. Leofoo Village is currently disputing this claim.

On Wednesday evening (March 29), Leofoo Village released a statement in which it claimed that because the containment measures around the baboon area seemed to be normal when the baboon was spotted in Taoyuan City, the park did not believe that any of its baboons had escaped. However, it was revealed that when a veterinarian assisted in capturing the baboon, its tubal ligation scars were consistent with those of the baboons in the park, and it was determined that the escaped primate belonged to Leofoo Village.

It also issued the following apology:


"We feel infinitely saddened by the passing of the baboon's life. We are deeply sorry for causing trouble for the public and expending social resources. The park has conducted a self-reflection. Relevant supervisors and colleagues will be punished, and the company will share the responsibility with the employees."


After the statement was released, netizens flooded Leofoo Village's Facebook page to criticize the company for its actions. Many questioned the sincerity of the management's apology and condemned their handling of the escape.

Netizens accused Leofoo Village of being "full of lies and excuses." Many expressed a wish to boycott the park, but worried about the livelihood of the animals in the park.

They suggested that if Leofoo Village had admitted the escape from the beginning, the baboon may not have been hunted down in the same manner. They complained that the park displayed a careless attitude towards life and did not issue an apology until late at night, two days after the killing.

At a press conference held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday morning (March 30), Yeh Chung-yueh (葉忠岳), senior director of Leofoo Village Theme Park, bowed and issued an apology after reading a statement on behalf of the park. Yeh pledged that Leofoo Village would conduct a thorough investigation and issue penalties, and the reprimands would extend to the highest level park supervisors.

As for whether the shooting was ordered by a veterinarian employed by Leofoo Village, Yeh said that the entire case is under judicial investigation and the park is not at liberty of discussing too many details at this time.